Robin (Dick Grayson)
”We fall because someone pushes us. We get up to push back.” Richard John “Dick” Grayson is a costumed crime fighting vigilante of the Bat Family and the original Robin. The youngest in a family of acrobats known as the "Flying Graysons", Dick watched the mafia kill his parents in order to extort money from the circus that employed them. After the tragic murder, Batman took Dick in as his legal ward, training him to become his crime-fighting partner Robin. Sometime later, a quarrel lead Batman to test Dick’s independence, allowing him to move to the west coast in order to assess the Robin’s skill in a less dangerous city. History Early life Richard John Grayson was born on October 24, 2011, to John and Mary Grayson. The parents were acrobatic performers for the world famous “Haly’s Circuis;” already on their way to fame themselves, John and Mary shared their image with their son, who they trained into an acrobatic prodigy. Adapting well to the circuis life, Dick helped his family become recognized around the world as one of Haly Circus’s most renowned acts, dubbed “The Flying Graysons.” Unbeknownst to the Graysons or to the public, Haly's Circus hid a dark secret, having been training assassins for the Court of Owls for decades. Remarkably in spite of his youth, Dick had been selected to become the newest Talon for the Court, being groomed to replace Alton Carver. Orphaned At twelve years old, Dick’s life was met with tragedy. While on tour in Gotham City, he overheard "Boss" Tony Zucco, a well-known and feared crime-lord, threaten the performers unless the circus's owner paid extortion money. The owner refused, and that night Dick watched in horror as his parents' high wire was sabotoged and snapped during performance, sending John and Mary hurtling to their deaths while the audience, containing many of Gotham’s elite, watched on. Young Dick felt responsible, having not warned his parents out of fear from the mob. Shortly after the tragedy, Dick was placed in an uncaring juvenile services system, on the grounds that social services were full. He got beaten up by a number of the inmates, and he was later sent to a Catholic orphanage. Bruce Wayne rescued Dick by adopting him as his ward, moving him into Wayne Manor and was helped along by Alfred. Becoming Robin Frustrated by the lack of attention from his new guardian and the mystery still surrounding his parents' death, Dick sneaked out of Wayne Manor one evening to solve the crime on his own - only to stumble into Batman, who was already investigating the murder. Startled when he was spotted, Dick fled back to the circus, but was confronted by Zucco's business associate, Eddie Skeevers. Skeevers nearly killed Grayson, though Dick was merely knocked unconscious, saved thanks to Batman's intervention. After waking up in the Batcave, he is shocked to learn that Bruce is really the Batman. They succeed in revealing Zucco's complicity, but he supposedly dies of a heart attack before his arrest. Seeing a reflection of himself in Dick, that he could temper compassion with a thirst for justice, Batman made the young orphan the offer of a lifetime: the chance to become his crime-fighting partner. Dick chose his circuis nickname “Robin” as his persona, and his training began. Dick's first mission alongside the Dark Knight involved battling The Hangman in Gotham's sewers, and then Two-Face and the rest of Batman's Rogues Gallery at the Batcave. They swore an oath late that night that they would fight together against crime and corruption, never swerving from the path of righteousness. Batman had realized for the first time that he did not have to be alone in his crusade. Bruce taught Dick fighting techniques and detective skills for a grueling 6 months. Finally, Dick had to pass a final test - "the Gauntlet". Dick had to elude the Dark Knight on the streets of Gotham for one night - from sunset to sunrise - without any outside help. Dick succeeded, simultaneously bringing Gotham gangster Joe Minette to justice. Dick took to the streets as Batman's full-fledged partner in crime-fighting: Robin, the Boy Wonder. Scarred by Failure Dick enjoyed his first year as Robin, regarding the job as an adventure until a confrontation with Two-Face served as a rude awakening for the young hero. Two-Face had captured the new District Attorney and Batman, and had each suspended from a hangman's noose in a 'double gallows death-trap'. Robin, in trying to save the D.A., used a batarang to cut the rope of the noose. It worked, but Robin didn't account for Dent's obsession with the number two -- it was a two-fold trap, and the floor gave way, dropping the D.A. into the water, where the man drowned. Robin was unable to prevent his death, and received a beating at the hands of Two-Face. A beating witnessed by Batman, still tied up on the platform trying to free himself. Eventually, Batman was able to free himself and apprehend Two-Face. This event, however, scarred the young crime-fighter, and haunts him even today. Rather than see Dick be further endangered, Batman "fires" his partner, sidelining the Boy Wonder for a time. Eventually, Robin is allowed back into action upon proving capable of handling himself, having matured slightly from the past. However, the event drove an unspoken wedge between the Dark Knight and his partner, one that only got worse over time. Eventually, a disagreement resulted in some animosity, though it was repaired within the next few days with the help of Alfred. Going West In time, Batman decided to allow Robin to operate on his own, recommending that the Boy Wonder go to the west coast to crack down on crime there while Batman remained in Gotham. While this was done to give him a sense of independence and accomplishment, Batman also intended the ordeal to be an escape from Gotham for Robin, to allow him to grow and learn beyond the dangers of Gotham and outside of the Batman’s shadow. Personality Robin is a natural-born leader. He is heroic, noble, kind, selfless, stoic, stubborn, brooding and unwilling to ever give up. These traits have not changed, though over time have manifested in a different outtake on life and fighting crime. Initially, Robin carried over his playful attitude from his time in the circus, taunting his foes in or out of combat despite the danger presented to him, such as when being shot at by armed gunmen. His agility and extensive acrobatics training enabled him to show off his skill while goading enemies into trying harder. The boy was also very competitive, whether against Batman or the criminals he faced. This personality did well to stand out against Batman’s usually serious tone. His relationship with Batman was strong despite these differences; Robin’s origin having a typological connection to Batman's in that both witnessed the crime-related deaths of their parents, creating an urge to battle the criminal underworld. This provided a bond and understanding between the two. However, Robin changed after a fateful mission to capture Two-Face ended in the death of a hostage that he and Batman were trying to rescue, also receiving a significant beating from the villain before further driven down by being pulled from crime-fighting by Batman for a time. This eventually manifested in animosity that only got worse, making him prone to outbursts of rage. Robin’s dissatisfaction finally drove him to desire to break away from Batman; an opportunity that was eventually fulfilled to allow him some space and protect him from Gotham. On his own, Robin has changed into preferring to be alone, spending little time interacting with others and instead training himself, physically and mentally, or maintaining his gear and finding ways to make himself better. Despite his struggles, Robin has time and time again proven to be a great fighter and potential leader. He cares for anyone he is protecting, and will fight to the finish to defend what he believes is right. He has matured to be able to come up with clever strategies in battles and keeps a calm head most of the time, though can still be frustrated if caught in a losing situation. Appearance Dick Grayson In keeping with his status as a vigilante, Dick’s true identity is kept a secret from the public. He has light skin, black hair and brown eyes, with no outstanding features aside from general handsomeness he has as an adolescent. His appearance is kept a disguise while in costume, part of his face showing but not enough to enable anyone to recognize him. This is made all the more efficient when Dick moved to a whole new city on the other side of the country, removing any and all possibility of someone recognizing him. Robin The majority of Dick’s depiction is made while wearing his costume, which consists of green tights with black ankle-high steel-toed boots, green elbow-high gloves, a short-sleeve green t-shirt underneath a red armored vest with a yellow letter "R" inside a black circle over his left pectoral muscle, a yellow utility belt and a black cape that has a yellow interior. He always wears a black-and-white domino mask, and usually has his black hair spiked backwards. Powers/Abilities Though Robin possesses no superhuman powers, he has undergone a vigorous and intensive training regimen under Batman, conditioning his body and mind to peak human levels. Combined with his acrobatics trained on him by his parents since he was a little boy, Dick Graysonis held in high regard by the Bat Family and grudgingly remembered by criminals alike; some have even gone so far as to consider that he was the best Robin, thought of as irreplaceable even though he left Batman’s side. In truth, Dick stood out among all of the Robins, with none of them being as agile, acrobatic, and stylized like Dick. Even for those that possessed calmness or a playful attitude, Dick was also unique in that he combined both and worked them so well together. Robin represents the pinnacle of human physical ability possible for his age, with his physical characteristics greater than that of even an Olympic level athlete. He was raised in an acrobat family known as the "Flying Graysons" and began agility training at the earliest age, and continues to engage in intense regular rigorous exercise (including aerobics, weight lifting, gymnastics, and simulated combat) to keep himself in peak condition. * Strength: Though not outstandingly strong, Robin’s conditioning makes him stronger than the average human of his age, able to take out common thugs with just one or two blows each. In times of stress, his strength can receive a boost, which once enabled him to beat down a very muscular enemy with just his bare hands. * Speed: Playing with his agility, Robin’s speed is quite developed, allowing him to keep up with a fleeing car so long as it is not speeding away. When traversing rooftops, Robin’s speed is crucial in enabling him to leap distances across gaps between buildings. * Endurance: Thanks to his training and fitness, Robin is able to last suprisingly long in a fight, belaying his smaller size and lack of strength. This is in part due to his mental resilience as well as his physical conditioning. * Reflexes: Robin’s greatest trait stems from his acrobatics, enabling him to spot danger and react quicker than the average human. As long as he can see an attack coming, he is usually able to dodge or prevent it from happening altogether. Training * Martial Arts & Hand-to-Hand Combat: Robin is a finely conditioned combatant, his skills honed to such a level that even armed adversaries can be overpowered by them. He has mastered several different martial arts styles from across the world, all of them instructed by Batman himself. * Genius Intellect: Robin holds expertise in numerous areas, both academic and physical. He has a rising understanding of various sciences, like physics and chemistry, and is also learning to be a mechanic and engineer in order to build and maintain his gadgets and equipment. * Detective Skills: '''Thanks to Batman’s rigorous instruction, Robin is a talented Detective, with a keen eye and experience in forensics. He is an expert interrogator, and has a very logical mind; he is able to create plans and strategies to effectively take down his opponent. Robin is a master escapologist, marksman, thief and impersonator, having masqueraded as various identities for infiltration. Equipment Robin Suit Robin's costume is composed of light body armor that protects from forceful impact, yet still allows for ease of movement. It incorporates a cape made of high-density polymerized titanium that serves as flexible armor, and has resilience to slashes and various kinds of chemicals Thanks to a design incorporated by Batman following an intense encounter with Two-Face while training Robin, the cape is very well at resisting intense flame attacks. His boots have platforms made of metal, giving traction in most terrains and weighing his kicks for considerably more power. In spite of its considerable advancements, the suit is nowhere near invincible. Built of a lighter material than the Batsuit to enable greater speed and agility, the armor worn under Robin’s attire cannot take as much damage before he takes the hits himself; it can only survive one or two direct shots from small arms at best, only guaranteed to protect against grazing bullet hits, and only covers his upper torso, leaving the rest of his body completely unprotected. The cape, though able to resist slashes from bladed weapons, has no defensive power against firearms, and sufficiently strong attacks from melee weapons can tear through it with enough force. Utility Belt In addition to the suit, Robin comes prepared for most situations with his trusty utility belt similar to the one used by Batman. The belt stores a vast array of different tools and gadgets depending on the mission requirements. * '''Birdarangs: '''Small, bladed objects resembling Batarangs that can be thrown like shuriken. * '''Bo Staff - Developed by Robin after moving to the west coast, this collapsible metal staff can be used to strike and attack, and spun around as a makeshift melee defense. The composition of the staff is strong enough to block strong swords and support a large amount of weight. It can also be separated into a pair of eskirma sticks. * Smoke Pellets - Capsules that release smoke over a wide area, effective for confusing a large number of opponents and for covering escape. * Flash Bombs '''- Marble sized flash bombs that explode in a burst of bright light, temporarily blinding his opponents. * '''Utility Discs - Small discs that contain various substances, such as freezing gas, extinguishing foam, light explosives, or trackers. Robin can attach them onto a surface or target, or throw them from a distance. The ammunition discs can be set to remote, timed, or proximity detonation, while the computer discs can be traced from across the state. * Grapple - Resembling Batman’s Grapnel Gun, Robin’s device is used to swing on buildings and catch himself from falling, tie up an opponent, and can either be hurled or launched as a projectile. * Bola - Used for constricting the limbs of foes in battle. * Cryptographic Sequencer - Similar to Batman’s device but with various restrictions and lacking many features, this device nonetheless enables Robin to bypass electronic locks and other security systems. Robin Cycle Originally using the Batcycle while working with the Dark Knight, Robin was allowed to take a variation of the motorbike with him to the west coast. Dubbed the “Robin Cycle,” it is optimized for high-speed pursuits. Some of its features include a reinforced body to withstand gunfire, turbo boosters to temporarily increase speed in incriments that can also be angled up or down slightly to provide a small jump off the road, an onboard computer that responds to foes trying to hijack it with an electrical shock as well as advanced tracking and navigational suites, and a grapnel cannon to latch onto fleeing enemies, vehicles, or scale a building. The bike comes with a self-destruct sequence activated by a voice override in the event Robin feels necessary to use it. Robin 01.jpg|Dick Grayson, Robin Robin 03.jpg|Robin Category:Male Category:Earth-1001 Inhabitant Category:Human Category:Vigilante Category:Good